Photo - SIA Aerones
51740

SIA Aerones

Making the maintenance of Wind turbines safer and efficient.

Latvia
Market: Mechanical engineering, Production, Electronics, Power Engineering, Robotics
Stage of the project: Operating business

Date of last change: 25.03.2021
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Idea

The traditional ways of wind turbine maintenance is to employ R.A.T. (Rope Access Technicians), which is a long, unsafe and inefficient process. Using robotic technologies and winches we have developed a safer, faster and higher quality service. By using our method, technicians don't need to subject themselves to the dangers of working at higher altitudes. As well as proving to be a safer method, our method also isn't as limited as rope access- higher wind speeds, longer days. We provide a range of services like Lightning protection checking, cleaning of blades, internal inspections and more.

Current Status

Commercial product - Our services are fully commercial and operational.
Operating globally - We are fully operational in many countries all around the world, providing our services and executing orders made by clients.
Market leaders among customers - Our clients are among some of the biggest owners/manufacturers/operators in the world. For example: Vestas, Enercon, Nordex, Acciona, RePower, GE, SiemensGamesa, Suzlon and so on.

Market

B2B Customers - Our customer segment are other businesses like wind turbine manufacturers, owners, operators.
Location - When looking for customers, location is an important factor due to the conditions of them. i.e. Wind speeds, temperatures, humidity.

Problem or Opportunity

We are solving the problems of using rope access technicians when working on wind turbines. The risk of falling is prevented by using robotics instead of people when cleaning the blades. The risk of long downtime losses to the owners is solved by making the project time 50% faster. The risk of missed problems on the turbines are solved by using machines due to the inaccuracy of the human eye. This is proven to be true by the amount of customers that use our services, for example, Vestas, the biggest manufacturer of Wind turbines in the world.

Solution (product or service)

As for Accessibility & Safety, Aerones technology allows for avoiding the need of having the rope-access technicians climbing the blades and allows them to do the same job from the ground by operating the robotic unit on the blade which performs the job instead, therefore decreasing the need for a dangerous job and climbing certificates.

Regarding the availability, the robotic technology allows for much higher operational limits like higher wind speeds and it is more suitable for working in harsher conditions like lower or higher temperatures, therefore allowing it to work for longer periods throughout the year and allow it to work on much bigger turbines. Averagely we have 20 times less idle stay compared to rope technicians.

Considering the speed, - Turbines are becoming bigger. Downtime costs more. the technology allows for much faster services in comparison to the traditional methods. Robot allows to do the job 3-5 times faster. It is much more mobile and can easily operate in a bigger area. Faster services allow to significantly reduce the downtime of the wind turbine during the services. For example, for the Lightning Protection System inspections, Aerones can provide the services for even up to 5 turbines per day, which is five times faster than by providing the services with the traditional methods.

Regarding cost-effectiveness - by providing faster services, the downtime of the turbine is reduced as well, therefore saving the money for the customer in ungenerated electricity during the services. Also, as the services can be done by a robot, there is no need for highly experienced technicians to do the job, thus the costs of the services are lower as well.

Competitors

Our competitors are companies that provide similar services to us, whether by drones, rope access or robotics. Our customers are used to using rope access methods and our goal it slowly eliminate the need for climbers. As mentioned above the rope access method is less safe and slower, and drones are very limited due to the varying wind speeds in which they can fully operate.

Advantages or differentiators

Accessibility & Safety, Aerones technology allows for avoiding the need of having the rope-access technicians climbing the blades and allows them to do the same job from the ground by operating the robotic unit on the blade which performs the job instead, therefore decreasing the need for a dangerous job and climbing certificates.

Regarding the availability, the robotic technology allows for much higher operational limits like higher wind speeds and it is more suitable for working in harsher conditions like lower or higher temperatures, therefore allowing it to work for longer periods throughout the year and allow it to work on much bigger turbines. Averagely we have 20 times less idle stay compared to rope technicians.

Considering the speed, - Turbines are becoming bigger. Downtime costs more. the technology allows for much faster services in comparison to the traditional methods. Robot allows to do the job 3-5 times faster. It is much more mobile and can easily operate in a bigger area. Faster services allow to significantly reduce the downtime of the wind turbine during the services. For example, for the Lightning Protection System inspections, Aerones can provide the services for even up to 5 turbines per day, which is five times faster than by providing the services with the traditional methods.

Regarding cost-effectiveness - by providing faster services, the downtime of the turbine is reduced as well, therefore saving the money for the customer in ungenerated electricity during the services. Also, as the services can be done by a robot, there is no need for highly experienced technicians to do the job, thus the costs of the services are lower as well.

Finance

Rent of robots and income from the services provided.

Money will be spent on

Scaling up - Producing more units for operations.

Team or Management

Risks

Innovative technologies, we need to convince the market players to choose our method over others.

Incubation/Acceleration programs accomplishment

Y Combinator - One of the most prestigious accelerator programmes in the world.

Won the competition and other awards

Slush pitch, top 3 (2018/2019)

Product Video

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Idea
Current Status
Market
Problem or Opportunity
Solution (product or service)
Competitors
Advantages or differentiators
Finance
Invested in previous rounds, $
Business model
Money will be spent on
Offer for investor
Team or Management
Mentors & Advisors
Lead investor
Risks
Incubation/Acceleration programs accomplishment
Won the competition and other awards
Invention/Patent
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Product Video
Presentation